The Letter
by Regina93
Summary: Post "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Lucy and Edmund return home with a letter from Caspian. Caspian/Peter Slash! Don't like, don't read! :


Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to own them... I don't.

Thanks to my Beta/Co-writer/Cousin for inspiring me to write it, giving me great ideas, and for editing it! (:

Prince Caspian the Tenth && High King Peter The Magnificent! 3

"James brought me a dozen roses today." Susan was rambling to Peter as they sat in the shade of a tree outside of Eustace's house. "He didn't just give them to me though. He had them hidden and made me find them. There were some in my books, some in my coat, and he even hid one in his hair. That was the easiest to find. He couldn't hide it very well under his black hair, even though he's let it grow out recently."

"You told him to let it grow." Peter said quietly, trying to keep the accusation out of his voice.

"Yes, well it looks better." Susan informed him, crossing her arms. "I think I'm going to say yes when he asks this time. He asked me to date him twice this month already. I only said no because he wasn't right yet. But he's better now. He's even taking a fencing class. I know it's not perfect, but it's pretty good." She paused, bringing a single rose to her nose and inhaling deeply.

Peter resisted rolling his eyes with difficulty. "He sounds wonderful." He deadpanned, hoping to end the conversation about Susan's stupid boy toy.

"He is." Susan paused, then, "But not like Caspian."

"_No one_ is as wonderful as Caspian." Peter replied, without thinking. Susan turned to look at him curiously just as the front door slammed open.

Lucy bounced over to them. She had something clenched tightly in her hand and was looking thrilled. "I've got a letter!" She called as Edmund appeared in the doorway behind her. "From Caspian!"

Susan and Peter both instantly straightened up. "You were back?" They both asked.

Lucy nodded as she reached them and fell onto the ground beside Peter. "And just before we left, Caspian wrote this letter and told me to deliver it for him." She beamed, obviously happy that she had been entrusted with such a high honor.

Susan grinned and held her hand out for the letter.

Edmund made a strange sound, bringing everyone's attention onto himself. "The letter's for Peter." He said awkwardly, keeping his eyes on his shoes.

Susan's hand fell to the ground with a slight thump as Peter reached out to take the letter from Lucy. His eyes went from the broken seal to Edmund's uncomfortable face. "You read it didn't you?"

Edmund didn't say anything in response, but the look on his face was enough of an answer for Peter, who rolled his eyes.

Lucy gasped. "When-?"

"Sorry Lu." Edmund shrugged. "You fell asleep, and I was curious."

"Bet you wish you hadn't." Peter grumbled as he started unfolding it.

"You have no idea." Edmund muttered, falling to the grass beside Lucy.

"Well, what's it say?" Susan suddenly snapped, sounding annoyed and a bit hurt. It was clear to everyone that she was angry that Caspian had written a letter not to her, but to her brother, and that she was simply dying to know what the King of Narnia had to say to Peter when it was obvious that Caspian wanted Susan.

"You don't want to know."

"Shut up Edmund."

"Don't snap at Edmund!"

"Stop interfering, Lucy!"

"Quit acting so jealous." Peter snapped, effectively shutting his sister up. "Don't listen to her, Lucy." He added, letting hid eyes fall to the letter in his hands and shutting out the rest of the world as he read.

_Peter,_

Peter smiled. Caspian had always bothered with formalities in public, only dropping the 'High King' when the two were alone together.

_I wish you could have stayed longer in Narnia this time. I would have enjoyed having more time with you. We only had a few stolen moments between the battles, and yet I feel that we had all the time in the world. In so many ways, I feel as though our time together was stolen from us. It is unfair that, in the end, Aslan sent you away, despite our arguments._

Peter's mind raced back to that one night, when he and Caspian had stood before the great lion and begged him to allow Peter to remain behind. They both knew what Aslan would reply, yet proceeded to ask anyway. Their arguments that Caspian would need Peter's advice in ruling, that Peter was the only person who was able to keep Caspian's anger in check when it flared, and that Caspian would need a King of Old to help him reinstate more of the Narnian laws had done nothing to convince the old lion.

Caspian had fallen to his knees before Aslan and pleaded for him to change his mind. Caspian's voice had been strained as he had fought back his onslaught of emotion while he claimed that he loved Peter now and would never love anyone else. He did not want to be unfair to his people and allow them to entertain ideas that he could possibly fall in love with another, and yet Aslan still told Peter to go. Peter's heart still ached when remembering the way Caspian had begged. Never had he seen the other boy so emotional to anyone other than himself.

_It is my hope that your adjustment to back to your old world went more smoothly this time, as I cannot bear to imagine you unhappy, Peter. This is the spot where, usually, I would add that I hope you will write back and inform me of your wellbeing, but I know that is impossible, so I will continue to believe that you are well. Lucy has said as much, at the very least, and I am inclined to believe her._

Peter glanced up from the letter and smiled slightly at Lucy, who was watching him innocently as he read Caspian's words. Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Susan still scowling at the parchment that he held, but ignored her and continued reading.

_I miss you Peter. I cannot tell you how often I have believed that I heard your voice or seen you out of the corner of my eye, only to be disappointed each time. I know I must not dwell on the past and I should devote my attention entirely to ruling Narnia, but I cannot simply forget you; the days we spent training together, fighting together and the nights we spent talking, comforting each other. These are memories I refuse to let go of. You are not someone who is easy to forget, my King._

Peter could hear Caspian's voice, slightly teasing, as he read those last two words.

_My Peter, I wish I had more than memories to fill my head. I wish I still had you with me. But I hear your siblings approaching now, and I must accompany them._

_All my love,_

_Caspian X_

_P.S. Ask your brother and sister about their excursion to Narnia, as I haven't the time to tell you myself._

_P.P.S. Edmund, I told you not to read this. Are you scarred for life yet?_

_P.P.P.S I love you, Peter._

Peter's eyes stung as he stared at the blank space at the bottom of parchment. There were no more words from Caspian. There was nothing more to be said. He lifted his face to look at his siblings.

Lucy was still smiling, unaware of the letter's contents and probably assuming that it was an update on the Narnian world, since Peter was once High King.

Edmund was uncomfortably shifting where he sat, determinedly looking anywhere but at his brother.

Susan looked ready to murder someone. She had obviously read over Peter's shoulder and now seemed positively furious.

Susan opened her mouth to say something that Peter probably didn't want to hear, but Edmund beat her to it. "Oh shut up, will you Susan? Nobody cares that you thought that you had a thing with Caspian! So don't even start on how Peter is 'stealing' him, since I know you're about to."

Susan closed her mouth, stared at them all for a moment, then rose to her feet and stalked away. "What do you mean, Ed?" Lucy asked, looking between her two brothers. "Why are you crying Peter?" She added suddenly, fear creeping into her voice. Peter didn't show emotion like that. What had gotten into everyone today?

"Lu, maybe you should go talk to Susan for a bit." Edmund suggested, causing Lucy to stand up and, after casting one helpless look at Peter, follow her sister.

Edmund stood soon after, leaving Peter alone to re-read the letter over and over again.


End file.
